Conveyer stripping apparatus



March 30, 1954 E. TEMPLE CONVEYER STRIPPING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Feb. 23, 1951 FiG.1.

March 30, 1954 H. E. TEMPLE 2,573,640

CONVEYER STRIPPING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 25, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 2/FiG..3.

INVENTOR. fl/PA/v E TEMPLE B? #13 4 770/?4/EKS March 30, 1954 TEMPLECONVEYER 'STRIPPING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 23, 1951 5 R5m -fl m; W73 5% H M 5 p M W A n w. 7 n 9 1 g 3 MP a Fia.

March 30, 1954 H. E. TEMPLE CONVEYER STRIPPING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet4 Filed Feb. 23, 1951 R mLn Z V a? ME; A Q. Ql Z m 4 E VIII W Wu H 5 Efl Patented Mar. 30, 1954 UNITED STATES TENT UFFIC'E Hiram. E. Temple;San Gabriel, Califi, assignor to Read Standard. Corporation, acorporationof Delaware Application February 23, 1951, Serial No. 212,426

7 Claims. 1

The present inventionrelates to anapparatus fbr stripping articles froma conveyor and a primary obj ect'of the invention is to provideanimproved apparatus of this character.

As a matter of convenience, the present invention will be considered inconnection with the baking industry since it finds particular utilitytherein for stripping such articles as straps oi pans containing'bakerygoods from conveyors on which the pan straps are transported. Forexample, the present invention may be embodied. in an apparatus forstripping straps of pans containing raised dough from the discharge endof a conveyor which extends through a prooier for raising the dough.However, it will be understood that the present invention may beembodied in an apparatus for stripping pan straps from other conveyorsin a bakery, or for stripping articles other than pan straps from aconveyor.

Ingeneral, an object of the invention is to provide a conveyor strippingapparatus which includes a plurality of fingers extending longitudinallyof and spaced apart transversely of the conveyor to be stripped, suchfingers having free ends which are insert'abl'e under articles beingtransported by the conveyor.

An important object of the invention is to provide thefingers withc'onveyingde'vices which are movable longitudinally of the fingers so asto strip from the conveyor any articles being transported thereby and soas to transport such articles away from the conveyor;

Another object is to provide such a stripping apparatus wherein the freeends of the fingers rest on-the conveyor being stripped and wherein theother'ends of: the fingers are pivotally mountedso that the fingers maypivot to compensate for any irregularities encountered by the free endsin contact with the conveyor.

Another important object of the invention. is to provide a conveyorstripping aparatus where in the fingers are pivotable independentlyofeach other so that each may pivot to compensate for any irregularitiesencountered by its free end independently of the other fingers.

Still another object is to provide aconveyor stripping apparatus whereinthe fingers are pivotable about a shaft which carries a plurality ofdriving sprockets respectively corresponding to and positioned adjacentthe fingers; each conv'eying device comprising an endless chain trainedaround the driving sprocket associated withthe corresponding finger andaround a drivensprceket carried by the corresponding 21 finger adjacentthe freeend thereoi; Thus, all of the conveying devices may be driven byrotating the aforementioned shaft while stillpermitting the fingers andthe respective conveying devices carried thereby to pivotindependentlyof each other about the shaft, which is an importantfeature.

Another object is to provide an apparatus wherein the conveyingdevicescarried by the fingers discharge onto a longitudinal conveyorhaving a lateral conveyor associated therewith, the lateral conveyorbeing adapted to strip articles from the longitudinal conveyor.

Another object is toprovidea lateral conveyor which is movable upwardlyfrom a retracted position wherein it is inoperative-to strip articlesfrom the longitudinal conveyor to an extended position wherein it isoperative to do so. Another object in this connection istoprovide meansfor increasing the speed of the longitudinal conveyor so as to space anarticle thereon from a following article on said conveying de- 'vices.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide such aconveyor stripping apparatus which handles the articles stripped therebygently and subjects them to a minimum of jarring, which is an importantfeature; particularly when the apparatus is employed for strippingstraps of pans containing raised dough;

The foregoing objects and advantages ofthe present invention, togetherwith various other objects and advantages thereof which will becomeapparent. may be attained with the ex emplary embodiment of theinvention illustrated in the accompanying; drawings and describedindetail hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating an installationembodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged; side elevation of an apparatus embodying theinvention and taken as indicated by the arrowed line 2-2 of Fig; 1

Fig. 3 is a plan view taken as indicated-j by the arrowed line 33 ofFig. 2';

Fig; 4 is a further enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken asindicated by the broken line 4-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5' is a fragmentary plan view of'thestructure shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the broken line B--6 0fFig'."3';:

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary plan view; with parts broken away, of thestructure shown in Fig; 6.;

and,

Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of an electrical circuit of the apparatusof the invention.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, diagrammaticallyillustrated therein is a baking installation which includes a steamproofer II for raising bread or other goods to be baked. The bread doughto be raised in the steam proofer II is placed in baking pans I2, Fig.2, et seq., which are arranged side by side in spaced relation andsecured together by an encircling strap I3 to form a pan unit or panstrap I4. The pan straps I4 containing the loaves of bread to be raisedare transported through the steam proofer II by a conveyor I5, Fig. 2.In large baking installations in particular the width of the prooferconveyor I5 is such that several pan straps may be arranged side by sidetransversely thereof to form a pan strap rank, the pan strap ranks beingspaced apart longitudinally of the conveyor I5.

Continuing to refer particularly to Fig. 1, the baking installationillustrated therein includes an apparatus of the invention adjacent thedischarge or outlet end of the proofer conveyor I5 for stripping the panstraps therefrom, the loaves of bread in the pans having been raised bythe time the pan straps arrive at the discharge end of the conveyor I5.The conveyor stripping apparatus 20 delivers the pan straps in singlefile to a cross-conveyor 2|, which, in turn, delivers the pan straps insingle file to an oven loading apparatus 22. The latter loads the singlefile of pan straps delivered thereto into a traveling oven 23,preferably in the form of pan strap ranks. The ranks of pan straps areconveyed through the oven 23 in any suitable manner, not shown, theloaves of bread in the individual pans being baked by the time the panstraps arrive at the discharge or outlet end of the oven.

Considering the proofer conveyor I5 in more detail, it includes a pairof endless chains 26 each of which is trained over a sprocket 21 at thedischarge end of the proofer II and over a similar sprocket, not shown,at the inlet end thereof. The two sprockets 21 are fixed on a shaft 28which is rotatable in bearings 29 carried by a frame 30 of the proofer.The conveyor I5 may be driven in any suitable manner, not

shown. Each of the chains 26 includes a plu- I rality of links 3Iinterconnected by pins which carry rollers 33, the latter beingengageable with the teeth on the sprockets 21. As best shown in Figs. 3and 4, extending between and carried by opposite links on the two chains26 are transverse beams 34 each shown as including two parallel, spacedplates 35 arranged at right angles to the two links to which they areconnected. Each of the beams 34 carries a plurality of U-shapedsupporting elements 36 which are spaced apart transversely of theconveyor I5 to form a rank of supporting elements. The correspondingelements 36 of the different ranks thereof are aligned longitudinally ofthe conveyor I5 to provide rows or files of such elements longitudinallyof the conveyor. The pan straps being transported through the proofer IIby the conveyor I5 rest on the supporting elements 36 and are spacedupwardly from the conveyor I5 thereby, i. e., are spaced upwardly fromthe beams 34 thereby.

Considering the apparatus 20 of the invention for stripping the panstraps from the proofer conveyor I5, and referring particularly to Figs.2 to 5 of the drawings, the apparatus 20 includes a shaft M whichextends transversely of the conveyor I5 adjacent the discharge endthereof and which, in the particular construction illustrated, is on thesame general level as the upper run of the conveyor I5, although thelevel of the shaft 4I relative to the level of the upper run of theconveyor I5 may differ from that shown. The shaft M is rotatable inbearings 42 carried by a frame 43 of the apparatus 20. Pivotally orrotatably mounted on the shaft M are fingers 45 which are spaced aparttransversely of the shaft and which extend longi tudinally of theproofer conveyor I5, the fingers 45 preferably being provided with hubs45, Fig. 5, at their pivoted ends to provide bearings for engagementwith the shaft M. The fingers 45 are aligned with the spaces between thefiles of supporting elements 36 and are insertable under pan strapscarried by such supporting elements, the free ends of the fingersresting on the conveyor I5, i. e., resting on the transverse beams 34 ofthe conveyor I5. As best shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the fingers 45 areprovided with shoes 41 at their free ends for engagement with theconveyor I5.

It is important to note that the fingers 45 are pivotally mounted on theshaft 4I independently of each other so that the free ends thereof mayrise and fall independently of each other to compensate independentlyfor any irregularities on the conveyor I5. Thus, the transverse contourof the fingers 45 always conforms to the transverse contour of theproofer conveyor I5 so that all of the fingers are spaced below thebottoms of the pans of the pan straps carried by the conveyor I5 thesame distance, which is an important feature.

As best shown in Fig. 5, each finger 35 is bifurcated from its pivotedend to a point adjacent its free end to provide spaced arms 5I. Disposedbetween the arms 5! of each finger 45 and keyed or otherwise fixed onthe shaft AI is a drivin; sprocket 52. Also disposed between the arms 5|of each finger 45 and carried by such finger is a driven sprocket 53,the driven sprockets 53 being located adjacent the free ends of thefingers. An endless chain 56 is trained around the driving and drivensprockets 52 and 53 associated with each finger 45, the chains 54serving as conveying devices which strip the pan straps from theconveyor I 5 and which transport such pan straps longitudinally awayfrom the conveyor I5, i. e., which transport the pan straps away fromthe conveyor I5 in the direction of movement thereof.

Preferably, the upper surfaces of the upper runs of the chains 54 areonly slightly below the upper surfaces of the supporting elements 35 tominimize jarring or" the pan straps as they are stripped from theconveyor I5 by the chains 54. As will be apparent, independentlypivoting the fingers 45 on the shaft M in the manner hereinbeforedescribed insures that the distances between the upper surfaces of theupper runs of the chains 54 and. the upper surfaces of the supportingelements 35 are substantially uniform all the way across the conveyor I5so as to insure uniform handling of all of the pan straps, which is animportant feature. Preferably, the fingers 45 are of sufficient lengthso that the shoes 41 engage the conveyor 5 at points beyond the shaft 28of such conveyor so that the upper surfaces of the upper runs of thechains 54 may be maintained substantially parallel to the upper surfacesof the supporting elements 36 for substantial dis- 5. fiancee; Howevemthe; fingers 4.5. may belonginened on shortened if desired.

Thus. with theforegoing: construction; the pan straps; are transferredfrom. the conveyor IE to the conveying-.- devices 5.4: smoothlyandwithout dropping the pan straps onto; the conveying. devices; eventhough, theconveyor ii'may sag trans versely between. the sprockets2ftsupporting the chains- 26 thereofioit' may haveother-irregularitiesz. This is a. particularly important feature in the.application of the: invention presently under consideration since;raised dough must be han died with care, as is well known in. the; art.

As will beapparent, ini order-to drive the chains 54;. it is merelynecessary to: drive. the shaft 4 t. This may be. accomplished in: anysuitable manner: as long as the"- linear: speed of: the. chains; 54 is;at least as: high as. the. linear speed. of' the conveyor i5: to avoid apileup of pan. straps on the chains 54.. In order: tosynchronizethe-chains 54: with the. conveyor t5, the. shaft: il may bedriven". directly from the conveyor [5, as: by: a chain 57: trainedaround a. sprocket. "it on the conveyor shaft 28' and a sprocket ditchthe shaft M.

'I'he'chains:fididischargerthe pan straps onto a longitudinal conveyor62: which. i's-carried by the frame 43 adjacent: the outlet end of and?in alignment with the conveyor system formed by the chains; 5.4.. lhelongitudinal conveyor 62; in the particular'construction illustrated;includes a pluralit'y of rollers: 6.3; having: driving connectionsthmebetween so that all of the rollers rotate at the: same speed.Forexample, the rollers 83 may be geared together by means: of geartrains, not shown, disposed in gear train housings 54 at the ends of.the rollers. The rollers 63 may thus be driven by means of a. sprocket55, for example; connected toone of the rollers.

For reasons which will" become apparent, it is desirable to spacev eachrank of pan straps delivered to the longitudinal conveyor 62 from thefollowing rank in the direction of movement of the conveyor 62. This maybe accomplished by operating the conveyor 62" at a low speed, preferablyat least equal. to the speed of the chains 55,. until such time: as. a.rank of pan straps is completely on the conveyor 52, and then operatingthe. conveyor 62 at a higher speed sufficient to space such rank of pan:straps from the following rank; The speed ofthe conveyor 62 may bevaried from. low to high invarious ways. For example, the sprocket 65for driving the conveyor-62 may. beconnectedr by means of a chain 66toa' sprocket 61: on. atwo-speed transmission 63 whichxis operatedzbyasolenoid'iifi; The power input to; the: transmission.- 68 may be fromthe proofer conveyor L5. bywayofia chain Til trained around.- sprocketH; on. the conveyor shaft 23 and. a sprocket 12* on the transmission--68; This arrangement has. the advantage of synchronizing thelow speedofthe conveyor 52' with the conveyor ifiand with the chains 5hr Thesolenoid 69' for operating the transmission 63" to increase the speed ofthe conveyor- 62 from low to high maybe controlled bya photocell i5which is dis" posedonone side. of the longitudinal conveyor 62intermediate the ends thereof and which is adapted to receive lightfroma light source it disposed. on the opposite. side of the conveyor.62, as. best. shown in. lligs..2. and. 3.. Thus when a. rank of. panstraps. delivered. to... the conveyor 6.2 intercepts. the. light. beam.to. the, photocell 1755i the-photocell energ-iaescthasolenoid.69,..which,

63 int turn, operates; the: transmission. Bfl to increase the; speed. ofthe longitudinal; conveyor 62 from low to -high= so; as; to space the.rank; of pan; straps from the; following; rank; The various electricalelements and the connections therebetween; are shown diagrammatically onthe circuit of Fig. 8.

After-each rank. of pan straps has been spaced from: the followingrankby the longitudinal con.- veyor 62 in the foregoing manner, it istransferred onto the cross-conveyor 21: in the form of a file of panstraps by a lateral conveyor 80, which extends transversely of the.longitudinal conveyor G2 andv which is: aligned with the crossconveyor'21., The lateral conveyor is shown as; comprising a: pair: of endless;chains 81 each of which: is disposedxb-etween a pair. of the rollers6.3: of: the. longitudinal. conveyor 62, the rollers between which thechains: Bl are disposed being spaced apart sufficiently to accommodate:the chains.v

In.- order topermit the longitudinal conveyor 52. to transport eachrank. of pan, straps: into a. position abovev the lateral: conveyor 80before such. rank is transported: onto: the: cross-conveyor 2i: by thelateral conveyor, the lateral conveyor is mounted for movement between aretracted position and an extended; position- When the lateral conveyoras: is in its retracted position, the chains 81* thereof are below theupper surface of the longitudinal conveyor 62", as shown in Fig. 2;. Inmoving from itsretracted position to: its extended position, thelateral. conveyor Bil moves upwardly until the chains 8-! are above the.upper surface of the. longitudinal. conveyor er. Referring particularlyto Fig. 6. of the drawings,v the chains iii are trained around.sprockets so at one end of the lateral conveyor 80 and are trained:around sprockets. at; at the other end thereof, the sprockets. 82 beingcarried by a shaft 84 which. is rotatable in bearings on a verticallymovable frame 85', and the sprockets 8.3 being fixed on a. shaft 86which is also rotatable in hearings on the frame 85;. The movable frame85; which may be restrained in any suitable manner, as by guides: 87,sov that. it. can move only vertically; is provided with rollers 9|:which rest on earns 92! carried by shafts 93 rotatable in bearings. 5.43on a frame: 95. When the rollers 9 on the movable frame 85. are inengagement with flat sides 96. of the cams 9-2, as shown in Fig. 6; thelateral conveyor 80 is supported in its retracted position: so that itis inoperative to: convey transversely of the longitudinal conveyor 52any pan. straps on the longitudinal conveyor above. the lateralconveyor; However, when the rollers 91 on the-movable frame-85 are inengagement with any: other portions of the cams $12, the lateralconveyor 89; iselevated into its extended positionso that it isoperative to transport pan. straps on the longitudinal conveyor' 62above the lateral: conveyor- 86 transversely of the longitudinalconveyor.

Considering the manner in which the cams-92 are controlled;.carried bythe frame 951s a motor iii-f having'a sprocket 9B:whi'ch: drives a chain93', this chain being trained around a sprocket 'l-Mi-f fixed" on ashaft Hill. which is rotatable. in suitable bearings carried by theframe 95'. The shaft lt'l hasfixedthereon anothersprocket I02 whichdrives a sprocket N13 on one of. the cam shafts 93: through a chain 14:.liixecl on this same camshaft 9,3 isanother'sprocket. I108 which drivesa. sprocket. its,- on. the: other. cam.v shaft. 9.3 thron -h: a. chain?H0; there. being, a; ona-to-one ratio,between v the sprockets m8. and weso. that veyor 62 by such conveying devices.

the cams 92 operate in unison. Thus, as the motor 9'1 drives the cams 92through one revolution, the lateral conveyor 80 is moved from itsretracted position to its extended position and back to its retractedposition.

The chains SI of the lateral conveyor 80 are driven at a speed such thatthey transfer a rank of pan straps onto the cross-conveyor 2| during theinterval that the lateral conveyor 88 is in its extended position, thelateral conveyor being driven from the motor through a chain III trainedaround sprockets I I2 and I I3 and a chain H4 trained around sprocketsH5 and II6. The sprocket H2 is driven by the motor 91, the sprocket H5is rigidly connected to the sprocket II3 through a shaft H1, and thesprocket H6 is fixed on the shaft 86 which carries the sprockets 83 fordriving the chains 8I of the lateral conveyor 86.

Considering the operation of the lateral conveyor 86, extending acrossthe outlet or discharge end of the longitudinal conveyor 62 is a plateI26 which stops each rank of pan straps when it is in position above thelateral conveyor. A normally open switch I2! is mounted on the plate I26and is adapted to be closed by one of the pan straps in the rank whensuch pan strap is stopped by the plate. Alternatively, a plurality ofswitches I2! connected in parallel may be employed, such switches beingspaced apart along the plate I20 transversely of the conveyor 62 inpositions to be engaged by the respective pan straps in the rank so thatall such switches must be engaged by pan straps to render the circuitoperative. As best shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, a normally closedswitch I22 is carried by one of the guides 8'! below the movable frame85 and is engageable by the movable frame when the lateral conveyor 80moves into its retracted position, engagement of the switch I22 by theframe 85 resulting in opening of such switch. Turning now to Fig. 8 ofthe drawings, the switch I2I, or grou of parallel-connected switchesIZI, and the switch I22 are connected in parallel with each other and inseries with the motor 91.

Thus, when a pan strap engages one of the switches I2I, or when panstraps engage all of the switches I2I, the motor 91 is energized todrive the lateral conveyor 80 and to drive the cams 92 for raising thisconveyor into its extended position. As soon as the lateral conveyor 88reaches its extended position, it transfers the rank of pan strapsthereabove transversely of the longitudinal conveyor 62 onto thecross-conveyor 2 I. It will be noted that as soon as the lateralconveyor 80 transfers the rank of pan straps onto the cross-conveyor 2|,the switch or switches I2I tend to open the circuit to the motor 91.However, the switch I22 closes as soon as the movable frame 85disengages it during upward movement of the lateral conveyor 89 so thatthe motor 91 remains energized until such time as the lateral conveyorBI! returns to its retracted position, whereupon the movable frame 85engages the switch I22 to open it, thus de-energizing the motor 91 untilthe next rank of pan straps is in position above the lateral conveyor86.

Concerning the over-all operation of the conveyor stripping apparatus20, as each rank of pan straps on the proofer conveyor I5 arrives at thedischarge end thereof, it is stripped from the proofer conveyor by theconveying devices '54' and is transferred to the longitudinal con- Assoon as the rank of pan straps is completely on the longitudinalconveyor 62, it breaks the beam of light to the photocell I5, whereuponthe latter energizes the solenoid 69 to cause the transmission 68 todrive the longitudinal conveyor 62 at its high speed, thereby spacingsuch rank of pan straps from the following rank of pan straps. As soonas the rank of pan straps which has been spaced from the following rankin this manner strikes the stop plate I20, it closes the switch orswitches I2I to start the motor 97, the longitudinal conveyor 62returning to its low speed as soon as this rank of pan straps moves outof the light beam to the photocell. When the motor 91 is energized inthis manner, it moves the lateral conveyor upwardly into its extendedposition, whereupon the lateral conveyor transfers the rank of panstraps onto the cross-conveyor 2!, the lateral conveyor thereafterreturning to its retracted position. The motor 91, of course, completesthe cycle with respect to the lateral conveyor 66 before the followingrank of pan straps arrives in position to be transported laterally bythe lateral conveyor 80.

Thus, as each rank of pan straps arrives at the discharge end of theproofer conveyor I5, it is stripped therefrom, spaced from the followingrank of pan straps, and is transported laterally onto the cross-conveyor2I.

Although I have disclosed an exemplary embodiment of my inventionherein, it will be understood that various changes, modifications andsubstitutions may be incorporated in such embodiment without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an apparatus for stripping a conveyor of articles beingtransported thereby, the combination of: a plurality of fingersextending longitudinally of and spaced apart transversely of theconveyor, said fingers being free at one end for insertion underarticles being transported by the conveyor and adapted at said free endsto rest on said conveyor; means for pivotally supporting said fingers atthe ends thereof opposite said free ends; a plurality of conveyingdevices respectively carried by and movable longitudinally of saidfingers in the path of the articles being transported by said conveyorfor stripping from the conveyor any articles being transported therebyand for transporting such articles away from the conveyor; and means fordriving said conveying devices.

2. An apparatus for stripping a conveyor of articles being transportedthereby, the conveyor being provided with a plurality of supportingelements for the articles which space the articles from the conveyor andwhich are arranged in files extending longitudinally of the conveyor,said apparatus including: a plurality of fingers extendinglongitudinally of and spaced apart transversely of the conveyor, saidfingers being insertable between the files of supporting elements on theconveyor and being free at one end for insertion under articles beingtransported by the conveyor and adapted at said free ends to rest onsaid conveyor, means for pivotally supporting said fingers at the endsthereof opposite said free ends; a plurality of conveying devicesrespectively carried by and movable longitudinally of said fingers inthe path of the articles being transported by said conveyor forstripping from the supporting elements on the conveyor any articlesbeing carried thereby and for transporting such articles away from theconveyor; and means for driving said conveying devices.

3. In an apparatus for stripping a conveyor of articles beingtransported thereby, the combination of: a plurality of fingersextending longitudinally of and spaced apart transversely of theconveyor and insertable under articles being transported by theconveyor, each of said fingers having a free end adapted to rest on theconveyor; supporting means for the other ends of said fingers; means formovably mounting said other ends of said fingers on said supportingmeans independently of each other to provide for independent movement ofsaid fingers relative to said supporting means to compensate forirregularities in the portions of the conveyor on which the free ends ofthe fingers are adapted to rest; a plurality of conveying devicesrespectively carried by and movable longitudinally of said fingers forstripping from the conveyor any articles being transported thereby andfor transporting such articles away from the conveyor; and means fordriving said conveying devices.

4. In an apparatus for stripping a conveyor of articles beingtransported thereby, the combi nation of: a supporting structure; ashaft carried by and rotatable relative to said supporting structure andextending transversely of the con veyor; a plurality of fingersextending lonei' tudinally of and spaced apart transversely of theconveyor, each of said fingers having a pivoted end carried by androtatable relative to said shaft independently of the others of saidfingers, and each of said fingers having a free end adapted to rest onthe conveyor and insertable under articles being transported by theconveyor; a plurality of conveying devices respectively carried by andmovable longitudinally of said fingers for stripping from the conveyorany articles being transported thereby and for transporting sucharticles away from the conveyor; means providing driving connectionsbetween said conveying devices and said shaft; and means for rotatingsaid shaft so as to drive said conveying devices.

5. In an apparatus for stripping a conveyor of articles beingtransported thereby, the combination of: a supporting structure; a shaftcarried by and rotatable relative to said supporting structure andextending transversely of the conveyor; a plurality of fingers extendinglongitudinally of and spaced apart transversely of the conveyor, each ofsaid fingers having a pivoted end carried by and rotatable relative tosaid shaft independently of the others of said fingers, and each of saidfingers having a free end adapted to rest on the conveyor and insertableunder articles being transported by the conveyor; a plurality of drivingsprockets respectively associated with said fingers and fixed on saidshaft so as to be rotatable therewith; a plurality of driven sprocketsrespectively carried by said fingers adjacent the free ends thereof; aplurality of endless chains respectively associated with said fingersand respectively trained around the driving and driven sprocketsassociated therewith, said chains being adapted to strip from theconveyor any articles being transported thereby and being adapted totransport such articles away from the conveyor; and means for rotatingsaid shaft so as to drive said chains.

6. A conveyor stripping apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein each ofsaid fingers is bifurcated from its pivoted end to a point adjacent itsfree end so as to provide a pair of arms, the driving and drivensprockets associated with each of said fingers being disposed betweenthe arms thereof.

7. A conveyor stripping apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein each ofsaid fingers is provided at its free end with a shoe adapted to rest onthe conveyor and to rotate the corresponding finger about said shaft tocompensate for any irregularities in the conveyor encountered by saidshoe.

HIRAM E. TEMPLE.

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